755 replies to this topic

[strallenfan]

KevinUK, on 09 December 2012 - 12:45 AM, said:

That said, they have also said you need to *get* Jennifer Saunders' humour/comedy style to appreciate most of the show.

I went with my partner who loves Jennifer Saunders and she hated it.

[Becky La Rou]

lesterf, on 07 December 2012 - 06:49 PM, said:

if you go back to page17 of this thread there is a spoiler which if you click will show the list of songs in alphabetical order

Thank you!

[itsuckstobeme]

I have been a Jennifer Saunders fan since the 80s. BUT the past few series of Absolutely Fabulous have been pretty dire, I didn't enjoy Jam & Jerusalem either . I'm sure some will disagree but I just don't think she is still funny.

[Parsley]

You were all right!

Seems like press night is split over today and tomorrow for this.....I simply could not wait so went tonight.

It is bad. It is really, really bad.

On the plus side I managed to catch up on all my work e mails and reply to loads of texts whilst there. Even did an excel spreadsheet!

It made The Bodyguard (which I thought was really quite okay) seem like the highest form of art (I draw a comparison purely because after quite a long barren period, 2 major musicals are opening within a few days of each other). That show at least has artistic merit and I think it shows that the director (Thea Sharrock) has a proper theatrical background.

I also think that Marianne Elliot made a nifty career move to "disengage" with Viva Forever.

I really have nothing positive to say about this. The staging reminded me of a school gymnasium. I felt deeply ashamed for Sally Ann Triplet (shame on her). Memories of Anything Goes seem so distant.

The 4 female "leads" sound like constipated cats being strangled whilst straining to open their bowels.

The vocal arrangements were (generally) weak and meant that much of the "spirit" that drove the original versions of the songs was lost.

Spanish fiesta scene has now taken the award (formerly held by Daddy Cool) for the most pointless and stupid props (you have to see them to believe them).

The book is like a tapestried version of all the worst and unfunniest bits of Absolutely Fabulous.

The biggest irony is that the very shows which this is trying to parody are actually done with the highest of budgets and production values  and (despite the actual content being highly variable) pulled off with visual panache and flair.

Viva Forever fails to be even vaguely visually arousing or pleasing in any way whatsoever.

I really wonder if Judy Craymer sits and watches this and is actually proud of it.....?

The best bit about the show for me was the safety curtain which has beautiful detailing in pastels and gold.

I also took some delicious apricots covered in thick dark chocolate.
I anticipated eating these all during the first half and eagerly gobbled them up during the interval.

[Front Row Dress]

Truly apalling and, though it pains me to say it, the blame lies almost entirely with Jennifer Saunders, the book is dreadful and not remotely funny. The fact that virtually the entire audience remained seated for the "megamix" finale speaks volumes.

[Parsley]

Front Row Dress, on 10 December 2012 - 11:10 PM, said:

Truly apalling and, though it pains me to say it, the blame lies almost entirely with Jennifer Saunders, the book is dreadful and not remotely funny. The fact that virtually the entire audience remained seated for the "megamix" finale speaks volumes.

I agree with you......people will come and see this and think it is somehow "British comedy".

The book is an absolute disgrace.....Jennifer Saunders was never that funny to begin with....she is a joke of sorts, yes...but that is quite a different thing.

It really upsets me, as there is so much British talent out there and so many talented comedy writers who could have offered something, anything better than this.

I am all for girl power, but this project is a bad advertisement for feminism and women in general.....although interestingly directed by a man.

Having said all this, this is shot through with Mamma Mia all over the place and that is a great success.

So there is no accounting for taste.

I forgot to comment on Lynne Page and her "choreography"....OMG.....I hope she reads this.....she should then watch any sort of modern music video and see how pop dance has progressed a bit....I generally find West End choreography is miles behind actual proper "dance".

And of the costumes......hysterically horrendous.....!

I went with my sister, who rarely goes to the theatre (usually only a few times a year)...the last thing she saw was Matilda.....felt really sorry for her...and guilty for making her come!

I wonder how many WOS and Olivier awards this will win..(sniggers)

For £67.50 (unbelievable top price, which is a day worth of average salary and hard work for most people) you can go to the opera for this price and see people who can actually sing!

But hark!.....stop and listen....it has the words "bloody" and "s***" in it....so edgy and stylish and daring and naughty....perhaps they should add a warning to give it some credibility!!

And I have just remembered the funniest line....a reference from one of the talent show judges not to sing Whitney Houston songs....oh the sheer irony of it.....

[Jon]

I think this will be Judy Craymer's Tonight the Night but I think it'll run at a year to 18 months as I don't think it'll be critic proof.

[freckles]

The chocolate covered apricots sound good though...

[jaqs]

Wow and I thought I was down on this show.

Sounds like any changes through previews didnt help.

[ptwest]

Parsley, on 10 December 2012 - 10:54 PM, said:

The 4 female "leads" sound like constipated cats being strangled whilst straining to open their bowels.

The vocal arrangements were (generally) weak and meant that much of the "spirit" that drove the original versions of the songs was lost.

I would argue that this is just right for the Spice Girls!

But seriously, their records were all about spirit, branding and marketing. Strip that away, and how many of their songs were actually any good? IMO one of the reasons that Mamma Mia and We Will Rock you have survived is that as well as having a huge fasnbase, the songs are theatrical enough to stand up in a musical. The Spice Girls were all about frothy, throwaway pop - nothing more, nothing less, and unless VF manages to capture the silliness of it all then it is probably doomed in the long run. I probably wont see this show, my fears when i heard the lack of imagination in calling the lead character "Viva" in order to get the title seems to have been confirmed.